Another Oprah pick proven fake

January 5, 7:33 PMBaltimore Book & Blog ExaminerRobin Bayne

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What is with memoirs these days? Is no one writing a true story any more?

 

 Thanks to the Dear Author Blog for the story links. "Angel Girl" is being taken off of store shelves and refunds are being offered. The book, which tells the story of a couple who first met at the fence of a concentration camp, has been disproved and disgraced.  And it's just one more story that sounds so moving and compelling that Oprah Winfrey decides to promote them.

From Gawker, on Oprah's Liar's Club    

What's the one thing nearly every fake memoir scandal seems to have in common? From James Frey to Angel at the Fence, if a story is bullshit, chances are Oprah was there first.

The pattern is pretty clear: lying writer comes up with too-good-to-be-true tale; Oprah books them on her show; lying writer is showered with publisher money; lying writer is exposed as liar; and finally Oprah is shocked, shocked that a writer would dare lie to her. But after awhile, we're forced to wonder if she's the victim or part of the problem.   

From the New Republic Journal of Politics and Arts:  The publisher of Herman Rosenblat's children's book, Angel Girl, has now pulled the book from stores and is offering refunds for people who had bought it. In September, Minneapolis-based Lerner Books released Angel Girl, a kids' book written by popular author Laurie Friedman. The book was based on the story of Roma throwing young Herman apples over the fence of a concentration camp. Friedman told Publishers Weekly:

"I, like many others, am disappointed and upset to now learn of Herman’s fabrications.” Adam Lerner, president and publisher of Lerner Publishing Group, said, “We have been misled by the Rosenblats, who gave us and our author what we believed to be an authentic and moving account of their lives.”

--Gabriel Sherman

Perhaps we won't see Oprah endorsing any more memoirs, at least not before a thorough investigation.

  Contact Robin at Bookandblog@yahoo.com.